Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1920 — FORMULATING CAMPAIGN PLANS [ARTICLE]

FORMULATING CAMPAIGN PLANS

lntiianupolla, Dec. 14. —Plant to rejuvenate and revitalise th® liemocratic party In Indiana have • been completed and already steps are being taken to place It on a militant baal* (or the next two years. The details of the work will be In the hands of Miss Gertrude McHugh, who has been engaged In political work for the past fourteen years and with whom practically every Democratic worker In the state is personally acquainted. The general plans will be In the hands of Benjamin Bosse of Evansville, state chairman. Miss McHugh Is already In Charge of the offices In the Denison hotel and after the first of the year Mr. Bosse expects to take an active part In the work of organlxatlon, which he proposes to carry out during the next two years. Arrangements have been made already by the state chairman to wipe out the deficit with which the organization was confronted after the election, and steps are under way to replenish the exchequer in order to carry out the plans. Miss McHugh, whose work as director of the women’s organization in the last campaign brought her universal commendation, started on her political career fourteen years ago when W. H. O’Brien of Lawrenceburg was state chairman. " v •

Following tbat she became assistant clerk to the state board of accounts when it was organized in 1908 and two years later when Mr. O’Brien was elected state treasurer, she became assistant securities clerk in his office. Later Miss McHugh became executive clerk to Governor Ralston and, following his ‘retirement, she went into the Democratic state head quarters in the 1916 campaign. She was with the committee during the time that Charles A. Greathouse, Frederick Van Nuys and A. C. Sallee were chairmen. It is doubtful if any other woman in the state has had the wide experience she has had in political matters, and few men, observers declare, have exhibited the sagacity that she displays in handling complex matters. Mr. Bosse’s first step toward revitalizing the party came in the form of a letter he has sent to all county chairmen calling on them to maintain their organizations at fighting strength. “Now that the 1920 election is of the past,” said the state chairman’s letter, “and we have recuperated from our overwhelming defeat, it is our duty as loyal Democrats to take up the party organization and carry it on until the next campaign. We were defeated, not beaten. We fought for a cause in which we Just as firmly believe today as we did during the campaign. Our principles were right, we have no apologies to make. Eight years ago the opposition party met with as widespread defeat as is ours today. And immediately they began building toward future campaigns. NoW the responsibility is all their own. It remains to be seen whether they can make good. “In the meantime, let every Democrat be wide awake and on the alert, ready to defend his party’s principles, if need be, and to take advantage of the mistakes and failures of the new administration. In order to do this, it is necessary to keep our organization alive and active. We had a splendid organization over the state, both men and women, despite our defeat, and it is essential that we hold it.” Headquarters will be maintained and a publicity organization will be kept in conjunction with it, Mr. Bosse said. As the next campaign draws nearer the state chairman proposes to increase his force and he confidently expects to enter the next fight with a two-year-old organization.